The St. Louis Blues are gearing up for a very interesting 2026-27 season, as the transition has been made from General Manager Doug Armstrong to Alexander Steen. With that comes a new era of Blues hockey with a new focus on who will be leading the charge for years to come.
We are in the youth movement, and players who are on the outside of the NHL club and are rising through the pipeline rankings are going to get their shot soon enough. The core is now mostly comprised of players under the age of 25, and some of the core have yet to even put on the Blues uniform for an official game.
Here are a couple of those players, and a rank to go with them before they eventually join the Blues in the years to come.
5. Maddox Deganais
Taken with the 16th overall selection of the 2026 NHL Draft, Maddox Deganais is a big centerman with a lot of upside. He can skate, he is smart with the puck, and he is one of two players on this list who are rising through the ranks from the QMJHL.
Deganais has a long way to go before joining the Blues, but he could be an excellent piece to have once the championship window opens. For now, his development has him as the fifth-best prospect on our list.
4. Dmitri Buchelnikov
Of all the players on this list, this one might be labeled as a diamond in the rough. Dmitri Buchelnikov was taken by Detroit in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft and then traded to St. Louis in the Justin Faulk deal. He is an underdog playing in the KHL, and with a little more time, could be a valid top-six player for the Blues.
The 22-year-old winger has been playing against Russia's best for the past couple of seasons, but could make his way to Springfield in 2026-27. Last season, he appeared in 44 games and scored 14 goals.
3. Tynan Lawrence
Another centerman who will be making it a very fun and competitive training camp for head coach Jim Montgomery. Tynan Lawrence was selected 11th overall last month for one purpose: to be the complete package.
He has been described as having a 200-foot game comparable to Matt Boldy in Minnesota or Sebastian Aho of Carolina. If he can bring even half of what those two players bring to their franchises, the Blues have grabbed themselves a winner.
2. Adam Jiricek
These next two will very likely be making their NHL debuts in 2026-27. Starting with Adam Jiricek, who is arguably going to have the better chance of making the NHL of the pair, he is primed and ready. Another few games in Springfield next season, and if the Blues' defensive unit has a small leak in the foundation, it will be Jiricek's time to shine.
This has been a long time coming, and now that it is here, the excitement should build for Blues fans.
1. Justin Carbonneau
It would have been cool to see Justin Carbonneau play alongside the player that he looked up to most, Jordan Kyrou. But now he has the chance to replace him as the team's go-to goal scorer.
Of course, there is also Jimmy Snuggerud for that, but Carbonneau is poised to make a long career out of being an offensive powerhouse with the puck on his stick. Having those two on a line next season might be something to look out for.
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